I, Kaitlyn Campbell, chose this topic because I enjoy everything about philosophy. I think the reason I find it so fascinating is because unllike any other profession, philosophers create questions instead of answers. A philosopher finds all of the possible answers to something but leave everything up to discussion in the end. I enjoy reading about all of the different great philosophers over time and how each one has affected society and philosophy in itself with they're vastly different perspectives on how the world does and should work. I hope to get others as inspired and passionate about philosophy as I am.
Philosophy is a combination of the greek words "philo", meaning "love of", and "sophia", meaning "wisdom".
There are so many different intracacies of philosophy. Some aspects of it include: Epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and logic. 1. Epistemology:
"a branch of philosophy that investigates the origin, nature, methods, and limits of human knowledge. " http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/epistemology
Common question: Do I know this or do i know the essence of it?
This is a video of an explanation of what epistemology is. I chose this video because I think the narrator is enthusiastic and fun to watch.
Not to mention it is an excellent explanation and she hits all of the important points while making it interesting. I would give this video a 5 out of 5.
*If you only have time to view one resource on here, I would recommend this one*
2. Metaphysics:
'It is not easy to say what metaphysics is. Ancient and Medieval philosophers might have said that metaphysics was, like chemistry or astrology, to be defined by its subject matter: metaphysics was the “science” that studied “being as such” or “the first causes of things” or “things that do not change.” It is no longer possible to define metaphysics that way, and for two reasons. First, a philosopher who denied the existence of those things that had once been seen as constituting the subject-matter of metaphysics—first causes or unchanging things—would now be considered to be making thereby a metaphysical assertion. Secondly, there are many philosophical problems that are now considered to be metaphysical problems (or at least partly metaphysical problems) that are in no way related to first causes or unchanging things; the problem of free will, for example, or the problem of the mental and the physical." http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/metaphysics/
But for the sake of understanding, think of metaphysics deals with the ultimate nature of what exists (reality).
Common questions: Do I exist? Does anyone besides me exist? Does anything exist?
This is a video that gives the idea of metaphysics. I chose it because it was one of the few that seemed mildly relevant without being over 10 minutes long. As such, I would only give this video a 2 out of 5. It doesn't give a clear idea of what metaphysics is and may even confuse the viewer.
3. Ethics: deals with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ethics
This is a slideshow of what ethics is. I chose this slideshow because it fully explains what ethics is, going into great detail.
I give this a 4 out of 5 because some of the slides seem a bit crowded with information.
4. Logic: concerned with analyzing the patterns of reasoning by which a conclusion is properly drawn from a set of premises, without reference to meaning or context, http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/logic
It is the tool philosophers use to conduct their enquiry. It deals with the principles of correct reasoning (detecting good reasoning from bad).
This is a video explaining logic. I chose this video because it gives an accurate description of logic and hits many important points. I would give this video a 4 out of 5 as its not very aesthetically pleasing, but still likeable.
5. All of these combined make up the different intracacies of philosophy.
Some of the most famous names (having to do with these) include: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Locke, Kant, and many others.
I, Kaitlyn Campbell, chose this topic because I enjoy everything about philosophy. I think the reason I find it so fascinating is because unllike any other profession, philosophers create questions instead of answers. A philosopher finds all of the possible answers to something but leave everything up to discussion in the end. I enjoy reading about all of the different great philosophers over time and how each one has affected society and philosophy in itself with they're vastly different perspectives on how the world does and should work. I hope to get others as inspired and passionate about philosophy as I am.
Philosophy is a combination of the greek words "philo", meaning "love of", and "sophia", meaning "wisdom".
There are so many different intracacies of philosophy. Some aspects of it include: Epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and logic.
1. Epistemology:
"a branch of philosophy that investigates the origin, nature, methods, and limits of human knowledge. "
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/epistemology
Common question: Do I know this or do i know the essence of it?
This is a video of an explanation of what epistemology is. I chose this video because I think the narrator is enthusiastic and fun to watch.
Not to mention it is an excellent explanation and she hits all of the important points while making it interesting. I would give this video a 5 out of 5.
*If you only have time to view one resource on here, I would recommend this one*
2. Metaphysics:
'It is not easy to say what metaphysics is. Ancient and Medieval philosophers might have said that metaphysics was, like chemistry or astrology, to be defined by its subject matter: metaphysics was the “science” that studied “being as such” or “the first causes of things” or “things that do not change.” It is no longer possible to define metaphysics that way, and for two reasons. First, a philosopher who denied the existence of those things that had once been seen as constituting the subject-matter of metaphysics—first causes or unchanging things—would now be considered to be making thereby a metaphysical assertion. Secondly, there are many philosophical problems that are now considered to be metaphysical problems (or at least partly metaphysical problems) that are in no way related to first causes or unchanging things; the problem of free will, for example, or the problem of the mental and the physical."
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/metaphysics/
But for the sake of understanding, think of metaphysics deals with the ultimate nature of what exists (reality).
Common questions: Do I exist? Does anyone besides me exist? Does anything exist?
This is a video that gives the idea of metaphysics. I chose it because it was one of the few that seemed mildly relevant without being over 10 minutes long. As such, I would only give this video a 2 out of 5. It doesn't give a clear idea of what metaphysics is and may even confuse the viewer.
3. Ethics:
deals with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ethics
Common question: What is right?
This is a slideshow of what ethics is. I chose this slideshow because it fully explains what ethics is, going into great detail.
I give this a 4 out of 5 because some of the slides seem a bit crowded with information.
4. Logic:
concerned with analyzing the patterns of reasoning by which a conclusion is properly drawn from a set of premises, without reference to meaning or context,
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/logic
It is the tool philosophers use to conduct their enquiry. It deals with the principles of correct reasoning (detecting good reasoning from bad).
This is a video explaining logic. I chose this video because it gives an accurate description of logic and hits many important points.
I would give this video a 4 out of 5 as its not very aesthetically pleasing, but still likeable.
5. All of these combined make up the different intracacies of philosophy.
Some of the most famous names (having to do with these) include: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Locke, Kant, and many others.
(Plato - left, Aristotle - right)